[Libs-Or] REQUEST - Celebrate Banned Books Week, Sep 26 - Oct 2 2021

[Perry Stokes]

Banned Books Week is coming soon, Sep 26 - Oct 2.  The OLA Intellectual
Freedom Committee invites all libraries, library workers, and supporters to
join us in celebration of the right to read!

 

Despite the pandemic, more than 273 titles were challenged or banned in
2020, with increasing demands to remove books that address racism and racial
justice or those that shared the stories of Black, Indigenous, or people of
color. As with previous years, LGBTQ+ content also dominated the list
<https://bannedbooksweek.org/ala-unveils-top-10-most-challenged-books-of-202
0/> .

1.       George by Alex Gino. Challenged, banned, and restricted for
LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting
"the values of our community."

2.       Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason
Reynolds. Banned and challenged because of the author's public statements
and because of claims that the book contains "selective storytelling
incidents" and does not encompass racism against all people.

3.       All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Banned and
challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism and because it was
thought to promote antipolice views, contain divisive topics, and be "too
much of a sensitive matter right now."

4.       Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Banned, challenged, and restricted
because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint, it was claimed to
be biased against male students, and it included rape and profanity.

5.       The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of
sexual misconduct on the part of the author.

6.       Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story about Racial
Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated
by Jennifer Zivoin. Challenged for "divisive language" and because it was
thought to promote antipolice views.

7.       To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Banned and challenged for
racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a "white
savior" character, and its perception of the Black experience.

8.       Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Banned and challenged for racial
slurs and racist stereotypes and their negative effect on students.

9.       The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Banned and challenged because it
was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse.

10.   The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Challenged for profanity, and because
it was thought to promote an antipolice message.

 

Stay tuned for information coming soon from the State Library about this
year's Annual Report on Challenges in Oregon.

 

For more Banned Books Week information and promotional tools, see

https://bannedbooksweek.org/ 

 

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned 

 

https://www.facebook.com/bannedbooksweek 

 

Keep curious and carry on.

-----------------------------------------

Perry Stokes

Co-Chair, OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee 

Library Director, Baker County Library District 

2400 Resort St | Baker City, OR 97814

o:  <tel:866-297-1239> 866-297-1239 | m:  <tel:541.403.0450> 541.403.0450 |
f:  <tel:541-523-9088> 541-523-9088 | e:  <mailto:director at bakerlib.org>
director at bakerlib.org

  

 

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